Urgent Care :: Pls help =( (Basking)

[ronnie_sjr]

Hey all

Im taking care of a friend's turtle as she is away for a long trip and I realised she didnt have a basking area for her RES. I think she has been keeping it for a couple of months, so Im quite worried that it didnt have a chance to bask for that long.

However I do not have the capability to provide a suitable environment for it to warm and dry off completely. Hence need urgent advice on what I can do...

I tried picking it up many a times and putting it on a big pebble in my make-shift tank to dry off, but it doesnt seem to like it and keeps climbing off into the water. So Im wondering if I can just put it into an environment totally without water, for a while? Then put it back into the water later.. Artificial basking, but well, thats the best I can do i think.. If that's alright, just wondering how long can I leave it completely without water?

Pls advise!! Thanks


Ron

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

If the turtle has a place where it can get out of the water completely, with easy access, the turtle will decide for itself when to bask, all you have to do is provide a heat source of some kind, a clamp lamp should do fine with a 75 or greater bulb in it. Turtles can stay out of water for quite some time, but I would probably recomment about a half hour at the most for basking purposes, but like I said, just provide an area where it can get out of the water itself to heat up and dry off.

[lydia_lady_fla]

basking areas do not have to cost anything go to a creek or somewhere pick up a nice suitable rock clean/boil it cool off and add to your tank if its above water theres her spot! if you cant provide artifical light (read stickys) they must get sunlight.

[marisa]

I wouldn't dry tank a turtle unless it was absolutely necessary and/or was indicated by a reptile vet. It is stressful for them. I'd make a better basking area (a big pebble?), one that the turtle can easily get on and off of.
Have the basking area temp in the high 80s (water temp should be about 10 degrees cooler) so the turtle will want to get out of the water for warmth. Don't forget a UVB light (not the same as a basking light, which can be a regular lightbulb).

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

You can always sneak into your neighbors front yard at night and steal a nice big rock. Almost all of my neigbors have a huge rock that would be perfact for a baskin area, So tempting!

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

Funny you should mention that, recently the people that take care of the Hotel that I work at, did some redecorating the outside and added some big rocks to the outside edge of the building, everytime I see them I keep looking for some nice rocks that I can use for my turtles , It's not stealing, they were just laying there.

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

It's not stealing, they were just laying there.

Yay tell it to the cops!

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

"It's the weirdest thing officer, I was just minding my own business and these rocks just jumped into my hands"

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

Ha Ha then he will think you are on drugs . If only the rocks could jump into your hands.

[lydia_lady_fla]

well I think we are off the topic but still I cant help but add to the joking........ummmm officer I was passing this house and somebody started throwing rocks at me.......good thing my windows were down atleast theres no broken glass well theres some really pretty rocks in the woods and around waters just clean em real good. also some have used slates and things found in the garden centers.

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

You: Yes officer...I stole this rock from that hotel.

Officer: Why did you steal that rock?

You: It was for my turtle sir.

Officer: Your WAT?

You: My turtle sir. I was gonna use it for a basking spot.

Officer: Well i am gonna let you off with a warning this time, but next time you are gonna get a big time ticket. So go put that rock back and you are free to go.

You: Yes sir.